Budget plan would stop funds for abortion providers

Abortion providers may lose

AUSTIN -- Abortion providers who also offer cancer screening and other preventive care services to thousands of poor women would lose all state funding under a measure budget writers adopted Thursday night.

The vote, six Republicans in favor to four Democrats opposed, came after some lawmakers expressed serious objections that poor women in many parts of Texas would have nowhere to turn for cancer and sexually transmitted disease screening.

Budget Conference Chairman Rep. Talmadge Heflin, R-Houston, said the purpose of the new budget measure is simple and clear. It is to limit abortions.

"If the contractor wishes to provide the (other health services), they stop doing abortions," he said. "There is absolutely nothing in the rider that reduces services to any provider that does not do abortions."

Of course we're disappointed," said Rebecca White, senior vice president of Planned Parenthood of Houston and the Southeast. "We know that tens of thousands of women will be displaced from their current medical home."

White predicted Planned Parenthood would lose as much as $3.5 million in the Houston area while statewide the organization would lose as much as $13 million. Earlier the group estimated 110,000 women could lose reproductive and family planning services as a result of the measure.

Sen. Steve Ogden, R-College Station, offered the budget rider, which would give providers a year to adjust to the change before funding is withdrawn.

White said Planned Parenthood plans to comply with any new rules the Texas Department of Heath issues while still trying to make abortions available. It was not clear whether the agency could offer abortions in some clinics and not in others.